Routers generally provide an interface to a communication network for a plurality of devices at a given location, e.g., a home or office. For example, routers may generally route and forward data such as by way of packets to an external communication network. Routers often provide for the direct connection of on the order four or five devices by way of ports for those situations where concentrators are not necessary or to permit the addition of concentrators that permit additional wired connections into a network before being transmitted to and from one of the ports of the router. Often routers are designed with enclosures with an emphasis on aesthetics or appearance, and generally without regard to minimizing overall size of the assembled router. Fully assembled routers are therefore typically several times larger in width, height, and depth than the essential components used to perform the functions of the router, e.g., routing and addressing data to and from devices connected to the router.
By contrast, telecommunication service providers wishing to test communication networks typically use a large number of devices in order to simulate larger components of the networks, e.g., branches of networks including network terminals, the use of concentrators and the like. Thus, it may be necessary for the service provide to use a large number of routers in testing environments or laboratories in order to provide an adequate number of connections for the many devices and to represent the end points of networks where end user equipment resides that are connected to the rest of the network by way of the local router. This necessarily results in a large footprint for the test setup.
Accordingly, there is a need for a more space-efficient manner to simulate networks or network branches where a relatively large numbers of devices, including routers, are involved.